Nanoscale x-ray magnetic circular dichroism probing of electric-field-induced magnetic switching in multiferroic nanostructures

摘要

The magnetic structure as well as its response to an external electric field were studied in ferrimagnetic CoFe_2O_4 nanopillars embedded in an epitaxial ferroelectric BiFeO_3 film using photoemission electron microscopy and x-ray magnetic circular dichroism. Magnetic switching was observed in both Co and Fe magnetic sublattices after application of an electric field. About 50% of the CoFe_2O_4 nanopillars were measured to switch their magnetization with the electric field, implying an elastic-mediated electric-field-induced magnetic anisotropy change.